Chapter 5: Fräulein Ehrlichmann
There was a problem.
Basta sat on his bed, a pile of books and papers around his feet. Atlases, encyclopaedias, and history books sat around his bed. He had a booklet spread open on his lap; words stared up at him from the manila paper.
"Read these" colonel Landa had said, carrying an apple crate full of books into the cell. "And you will understand why the world is at war."
Basta blinked helplessly at the papers on his lap. He couldn't read. And even if he could, he probably wouldn't want to read those papers anyways! He put the manila document aside and tapped his stocking foot in annoyance. The shock of his teleportation had more or less worn off, along with his temporary stall in temperament. Back in Lombica, Basta was feared. He had a reputation for being ruthless and vile, but all his usual ways had taken a backseat when he was at his most vulnerable. With disgust he realised that he had reminded himself of a lost puppy. Helpless, quiet... But not anymore! With a momentary feeling of hope, Basta told himself he would get back to his usual ways...
But all it took was another glance at the pile of atlases and documents for his knees to go weak and for a feeling of loneliness and helplessness come over him again. He realised, suddenly, as he looked around his big empty cell, that maybe he wasn't as tough as he thought he was. After all, where was he without his knife? Or his sword? He sighed deeply, and buried his face in his hands.
He stayed hunched over for a long while, relaxing in his pose, feeling his heart rate slow and his muscles ease. He didn't look up when a strange clipping and clopping sounds slowly made its way down the hallway. When the footsteps finally stopped, though, and Basta felt a presence, he slowly raised his head towards the bars of his cell.
Standing behind the bars, was the most beautiful woman Basta had ever seen.
She peered at him from between the bars, slender and glowing like an angel. Basta felt his mouth involuntarily parting as he and the woman stared at each other. Her angelic face was framed was chocolate brown curls that fell loosely around his shoulders. She had ruby red lips held together and puckered in the perfect shape. Even the way she stood, Basta noticed, exuded her femininity. He couldn't find the ability to speak. He just stared, drinking in her appearance, when finally she spoke.
"Is your name Basta?" She asked. Basta gulped. She too spoke in a German accent, and it was beautiful. He didn't speak for the longest while. But when she raised one of her narrow brown eyebrows, his mouth stumbled into action.
"Yes, yes it is. I'm Basta" he nodded hastily, and felt his hands shake ever so slightly. Women in Lombrica didn't look a thing like the woman before him now. The ladies where he came from carried extra weight around their entire bodies. Their eyebrows were generally thicker and shapeless, and their hair fell in ratty messes. But she... she was different.
"My name is Fräulein Ehrlichmann" she said, pronouncing her name in perfect, beautiful German. Basta's knees grew weak again...
"Hallo, Fräulein" he said.
"Ah, you know German?" She smiled slightly, and Basta's mind swam.
"No, I don't. Just that one word..." He bit his lip. The Fräulein's laughter filled the cell like a gentle birdsong.
"It's nice to meet you, Basta" she said.
"N-nice to meet you too." He cocked his head and cleared his throat, as if that would clear his voice of its waver.
"Is that the name you go by? Just Basta?" Fräulein Ehrlichmann asked as she curled his long, dainty fingers around the bars of the cell.
"Yes. Just Basta." His eyes flicked over the contours of her body. Her curves, an hourglass shape, filled her plum coloured dress as if it were made just for her. "Do you just go by Fräulein Ehrlichmann?" He asked timidly, eyeing the neckline on the Fräulein's dress. She raised her eyebrows at his question, cocking her head slightly. Basta stopped breathing. Had he done something wrong?
"I also go by Anna" She frowned, but she smiled slightly, making Basta's heart go pitter-pat. Anna...
"Fräulein Anna Ehrlichmann." He found it difficult to pronounce the name. When she said it, it sounded like Air-lich-man. When he said it, it sounded more along the lines of Err-lichmen. She giggled, her cheeks glowing pink.
"I came to meet you" she said, inching closer to the bars. Basta felt his throat tighten and he wanted nothing more than to approach her and touch her soft looking skin. "I've heard rumours..."
"Rumours?" Basta frowned, despite his urge to smile at the beautiful Fräulein.
"Ja. I heard that there was a British spy in the holding cell" Her eyes sparkled intensely. Basta gulped.
"I'm not a spy" he said. His throat tightened as Ehrlichmann paced up and down the wall of bars, her high heel shoes making the clip clop sound. She tossed her hair, and Basta felt his abs tightening a little too much...
"Riiight" she purred, pausing and running her hand down a bar. "And I'm not German..."
"You don't believe me?" He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and bit his lip.
"No, I don't."
"H-how can I convince you?" Basta wasn't used to women interrogating him. Usually it was the other way around. He remembered all too clearly backing women up against walls, pressing his body against theirs, forcing himself on them. And oh how badly he wanted to push Fräulein Ehrlichmann up against a wall...
"We'll have to have a chit-chat" she said, staring at him from under long, sultry black lashes. Basta could barely contain himself. He was debating whether or not to get to his feet and approach the Fräulein through the bars, but the sound of footsteps from down the hall broke his thought process. The Fräulein's attention shot up the hall, and suddenly the smile on her face died. "Hallo, Lieben" she said, forcing herself to sound cheerful. Basta could see that she looked extremely nervous all of a sudden. Colonel Hans Landa's voice accompanied her greeting.
"Was tun Sie, Fräulein?" His tone was almost scolding. Basta had no clue what he had said, but by the way Anna stumbled her speech, Basta knew it wasn't good.
"Uhh... I was meeting our new friend" she said, her eyes flicking over to Basta. Landa was now beside the Fräulein, wearing his spiffy uniform and looking slightly annoyed. He put his face in towards his neck, and murmured something in her ear. Basta shook and grew rigid with jealousy. Landa's lips must have brushed Anna's skin! The worst part, he noticed, was when Anna just closed her eyes and turned her face towards Landa's head. Basta's eyes narrowed. He knew the beautiful miss was inhaling Landa's nice scent. Basta's jaw squared and twitched. The two continued to exchange words, when finally Landa pulled apart, and Ehrlichmann smiled.
"Basta!" He said, sounding perfectly content.
"What?" Growled Basta. He felt his temper rising in his chest. Landa seemed unaware of his foul mood.
"I see you've met young Miss Ehrlichmann!"
"Yes" Basta raised his eyebrows, and looked towards the gorgeous young lady. She must have been close to twenty one years old, if not less.
"She works in the lobby as a receptionist. She's very quite nice." He smiled. "But I'm sorry that she's pestered you. You won't have to worry about her bothering you again!" Landa turned his masculine chin towards the young lady, who bowed her head in shame.
"Oh..?" Basta frowned. "She wasn't getting on my nerves."
"In any case, you won't have to worry about her. She tends to be a little high strung." Landa smiled, rose up on his toes, then dropped back down with a little clack. Basta sighed.
"What can I do for you?" he asked through grit teeth. He wanted Landa to go away.
"I just wanted to see how your reading was coming along." Said Landa, raising an eyebrow and nodding towards the stacks of books.
"Oh..." Basta felt his throat tighten. The reading...
"Oh?" Landa made a face.
"I uh..." he didn't want to confess in front of Anna.
"What's the problem?"
"I uh... I..."
"COLONEL!" Everyone jumped as someone called for Landa from down the hallway. "Colonel, Landa!" Landa sighed.
"One moment" he said, before walking off at a brisk pace, to see what the commotion was about. Basta was left alone with Anna! Yes!
"What's the matter?" She asked, looking at Basta with curious eyes.
"I...I can't read."
"You can't?" Fräulein Ehrlichmann seemed legitimately surprised.
"I was never taught."
"So you haven't read any of these papers?"
"No." Basta was embarrassed.
"Well that's not good..." Ehrlichmann bit her bottom lip. "Not good at all."
"Landa will be upset" muttered Basta.
"Yes, yes he will. I'll tell you what..." Anna looked around for a moment before pressing herself against the bars. She beckoned Basta over. The young man felt his heart drum in his throat as he rose to his feet. It took plenty of effort for him to keep his eyes away from her bust as he walked over to her. Once he was close, he could see that she had beautiful olive green eyes... and she smelled... amazing... "I can teach you. I can fill you in on everything you need to know." The way she was speaking, low under her breath, and the way she held her eyebrows, Basta felt that he was supposed to understand something... "Sound good?" She whispered he breath on his cheek. He felt his skin prickle and he managed to nod.
"Yes" he breathed, his eyelids drooping and his heart pounding.
"I'll come by later tonight, then" she said, then backed away from the bars. Basta stumbled backwards, landed on his ass on the bed. Anna winked, then Landa came in front of the cell again. Basta couldn't help but smirk.
A/N: OOOHHH! Sexual Tension!
I really appreciate those reviews. "Basta's Girl", I really appreciate the feedback. (Like. A lot).
Keep 'em coming! (Now that there's a plot developing... sigh).